The present invention relates to an apparatus for the dissolution of ozone in a fluid by injecting thereinto an ozonized gas, for example ozonized air or oxygen. The present invention more particularly is directed to such an apparatus which is suitable for the ozonization of water, especially water to be fit for human consumption, or for the purification of gases charged with toxic compounds, e.g., aldehydes.
Numerous devices have been proposed in the past to enable ozone to be dissolved in a fluid, and more particularly, in water. In such known devices ozonized air normally is dispersed in the water in the form of bubbles in one or more contact chambers by means of nozzles, branched collectors with orifices or porous bodies, with co-current or counter current flow of the water to be treated. These known devices however have the following disadvantages: preferred passageways for the ozonized air bubbles and water are produced in the contact chambers; the air/water contact is nonuniform; and the transfer or contact time between the ozone and the water is insufficient. Additionally, since the pressure diminishes with the rising of the ozonized air bubbles, the dissolution of the ozone in the water is reduced.
Other known devices include injectors that exhaust the ozonized air in vacuum or at low pressure and deliver it with the water to be treated into a contact chamber, thereby creating a turbulence. Also proposed have been several types of turbines that enable the ozonized air to be emulsified in the water to be treated. These turbine devices ensure an adequate dissolution of the ozone into the water, but they inherently encounter difficulties in regulating the pressure of the injected ozonized air. In addition, such devices require bulky machinery, such as motors and booster compressors made of specially corrosion-resistant materials. Furthermore, these types of devices consume a considerable amount of energy.